On 28/8, Than Van Tan was indicted and detained by the Ho Chi Minh City Police's Security Investigation Agency. He is being investigated for obstructing air traffic, an offense defined under Clause 2, Article 278 of the Penal Code.

Than Van Tan at the investigative agency. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police

According to investigators, on the evening of 13/8, after receiving reports of flight operations at Tan Son Nhat being affected by a flying object, the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Border Police initiated a coordinated search.

Authorities identified the airspace obstruction as three bamboo flutekites equipped with flashing lights. These kites were flying at an altitude of approximately 400 m, intruding into the clear zone designated for approaching aircraft.

Tan and two other individuals were temporarily held. Tan was identified as the owner and direct operator of the kites. The group had been flying the kites from an empty lot adjacent to Tan Binh Industrial Park, in Binh Hung Hoa ward, located about 2,5 km from the airport.

At the police station, Tan's group admitted to being members of the Facebook group "AE dieu sao TPHCM" (Ho Chi Minh City Bamboo Flutekite Enthusiasts). On the evening of 13/8, they went to the empty lot within Tan Binh Industrial Park, Binh Hung Hoa ward, to fly three kites fitted with flashing lights, which reached an altitude of 400 m.

The airspace obstruction caused by the three kites lasted over 10 minutes, directly impacting numerous flights en route to Tan Son Nhat from other airports. As a result, several aircraft originating from Pleiku (Gia Lai), Da Nang, and Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa) were directed to hold in designated safe areas.

The Security Investigation Agency stated that "Tan's actions directly caused severe disruption to aviation operations, compelling authorities to implement temporary measures to halt aircraft reception to ensure safety." The agency confirmed that the incident affected 16 flights, resulting in billions of dong in financial losses.

Tan Son Nhat airport is situated north of Ho Chi Minh City, approximately 8 km from the city center. Its location within an urban area has led to previous disruptions in aviation operations due to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), kites, and lasers.

Most recently, on 8/11/2025, UAVs illegally entered the restricted zone twice, causing over 100 flights to be delayed or have their departure times altered, affecting more than 10,000 passengers.

Beyond Tan Son Nhat, other airports have also experienced disruptions from flying objects near their operational areas. In 6/2025, an unmanned aerial vehicle near Noi Bai caused delays for 16 departing flights.

Quoc Thang